Hawkeye 12 CoverEven from the recap page, it’s obvious that Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye #12 is going to be different. For one thing, it actually recaps information – this time about Barney Barton, Clint’s brother. For another, it tells us that regular series artist David Aja is taking a much-deserved break, with the excellent Francesco Francavilla taking over on art and colors. And while Aja is certainly missed, it is quite refreshing to see another artist’s take on this book, which barely features its title character this month.

Hawkeye #12 takes place entirely from Barney’s point of view. Over the course of the issue, he begs for spare change, “meets” the Tracksuit Mafia, and flashes back to his and Clint’s tragic childhood. As their home life is revealed, Clint’s attitude begins to make far more sense. His ability to laugh in the face of danger, his hatred of bullies, and his determination all stem from his protective older brother and abusive father. It also seems as though money problems are a Barton family trait, leading to some serious beatings in both the past and the present. Luckily for the Barton brothers, they also seem to have a great deal of loyalty, compassion, and forgiveness for each other, which was incredibly touching.

As previously mentioned, David Aja is on a break this issue. Aja has always brought a unique and hard to define quality to Hawkeye. Perhaps it’s the simplicity, maybe it’s the non-traditional layouts, or maybe it’s something else. That being said, Francavilla’s work on Issue #12 is fantastic. The color palette is really strange, relying on lots of oranges and purples. As odd as it is, it really works at setting the mood. For another thing, his layouts tend to be more traditional than Aja’s, which made the book far easier to follow. There was alos a great balance of conveying action and emotion.

Story-wise, Fraction continues to show us how sometimes less is more. Much like last issue, there is surprisingly little dialogue. What conversations there were happened almost exclusively in the flashbacks. This is absolutely a good thing, as the silence highlights Barney’s isolation, and allows his rare zingers and one-liners to really shine. There was also a really cool overlap with last issue, when Pizza Dog smelled a hobo that reminded him of Clint, and tried to save him from the Bros.

Hawkeye is in an interesting spot right now. Kate Bishop seems to be leaving – a story that will be told in this month’s annual – which would line up with Young Avengers. Barney coming in might be just what Clint needs – but will probably get the purple-wearing Avenger in even more trouble. This issue serves as an excellent introduction to a character many readers may not be familiar with. It features great art and a characteristic sense of humor. Pick it up!

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